The primary aim of this project is to study more closely the role played by post-release aftercare in the outcomes of criminal offenders who received in-prison substance abuse treatment. Prison-based therapeutic communities (TC) (Pelissier et al., 2001; Wexler, 1995) have demonstrated efficacy, especially when combined with post-release TC aftercare (Melnick et al., 2001). The aims of this project are important from a public health perspective as there may be treatment matching, case management, and financing factors that could be manipulated to enhance the cost-effectiveness of community-based substance abuse treatment for offenders leaving prison. It is possible that both TC and Oxford House(OH) aftercare modalities increase abstinence social support, self-efficacy, and employment, which mediate reductions in drug use, reincarceration, and health problems, but overall benefits are likely to be greater for TCs because they employ professional services and empirically based behavioral strategies. However, OHs might have advantages compared to more traditional post-incarceration modalities (e.g., low costs). Bringing scientific methods to the examination of TCs and the OH community-based recovery models for addiction might help to identify the "active ingredients" of these recovery settings.

have completed substance abuse treatment program, or attended 12-step program

willing to live in a democratic residential setting, and pay rent

Released from a prison or jail in the last 6 months

Exclusion Criteria:

current substance addict/abuser

have previously lived in an Oxford House

not planning to go back to their own home or home of a relative following treatment

sex offender, fire setter

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00664092